Mechanism for sewing machines



(No Model.)

J. BOLTON.

SHUTTLE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented July 26, 1887 u PETERS, PholwLnnagnlphar, Wrnhington. 0.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

JAMES BOLTON, OF GLEN S'PEY, NE\V YORK.

SHUTTLE-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,021, dated July 26, 1887.

Application filed July 24, 1886.

T (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES BOLTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glen Spey, in

the county of Sullivan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shuttle- Operating Mechanisms for Sewing-llIachincs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of sewing machines adapted to form lock-stitches by means of oscillating or rotating shuttles co-opcrating with the needles thereof, the object of my invention being to provide a clamping device by which the shuttle is held to the driver in such a manner that a race for the shuttle to run in will not be required, and the objectionable friction and wear incidental to running the shuttle in the race will thus be avoided.

My clamping device consists of a plate pivoted to and moving with the shuttle-driver,said

plate having an opening or forked portion to receive astationary cam by which the said plate is swung on its pivot as the driver moves. The said plate is provided with two clamping-arms, one of which is adapted to impinge against the shuttle near its point, and the other of which is arranged to impinge against the shuttle near its heel, the said clamping-arms being released alternately to permit the loops of needlethread to pass around the shuttle.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional side view of a portion of a Singer oscillatingshuttle sewing-machine with my invention applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are partial front views of the same, showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 4 is a front view showing the clamping-plate and its operatingcam, the shuttle and driver being removed. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View of one of the clamping arms and a portion of the shuttle.

A denotes the shnttleoperating shaft, which, in the well-known Singer machine, to which my invention is specially applicable,has a rocking or oscillating movement of a little more than half a circle.

B is the shuttle-driver,secured to the forward end of the shaft A and having horns b and b, which engage the shuttle O at different points 5oon the latter.

D is a stationary cam, formed, in the present instance, integral with the hanger e, depending 'from the bed-plate E, and forming the front bearing for the shaft A.

F is the clamping-plate for the shuttle, provided with the armsfand f, the armfimpinging against the shuttle near the point thereof, and the arm f engaging the shuttle toward the heel of thelatter. The elampingplate F is pivotally attached to the shuttle-driver by a pin orscrew, f and is provided with an opening, f,ofpropcr size to receivethestationary cam D.

The shuttle may be held in the carrier by a ring or face-plate,- G, as shown in Fig. 1; but this plate will preferably be dispensed with by providing the clamping-arms f and f with V-shaped lugs f", adapted to enter V-shaped notchcsin-the shuttle. (SeeFig. 5.) This construction will tend to keep the shuttle central in the driver, from which the shuttle cannot escape when in operation, as the centrifugal force will hold the shuttle against the said lugs even when the clampingarms are loosened to permit the loops of needle-thread to pass. With this construction, a downwardly-extending curved projection, i, on the throat-plate I will be all that will be necessary to securely retain the shuttle in the carrier.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The stationary cam D is so arranged that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the clamping-arm f is released from the beak of the shuttle, which hasjust taken a loop of thread from the needle, so that the said loop can pass around the said beak and between the latter and the forward part of the front horn, b, of the driver, the rear clamping-arm, f, meanwhile firmly holding the body of the shuttle against the inner rear portion of the front horn, b, and also against the inside of the rear horn, b. As the shuttle continues its movement from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the clamping-arm f is released and the clamping-arm f is forced against the shuttle-beak, thus firmly grasping the shuttle at its front portion and tilting it clear of the bearings on the horns of the carrier, against which it was previously clamped by the arm f,so that the loop of needle-thread can freely passaround the rear portion of the shuttle. This change ofpositions of the clamping-arms is effected by the swinging of the clamping-plate F on its pivot-pin, owing to the movement of said plate around the stawith the plate by whichthey are carried, said the cam D, the latter being shaped like an ordinary feed-cam,which gives a sudden movement in a four-motioned feed.

It will be seen that my clamping-arms, of which I employ but two, both move bodily arms being preferably formed integral with the said plate, and are consequently rigid therewith. These clampi ng-arms thus change their positions simultaneously, and when they are respectively in clamping position the shuttle is held so tightly that there is no looseness for the passage of the needle-thread around the part which is clamped, so that the clamping device, in connection with the driver, forms a secure and perfect holder or carrier for the shuttle.

It may be observed that in addition to the great advantage which my invention secures in enabling the shuttle to be run without a race, thus greatly reducing the friction and wear on the shuttle and other parts of the machine, Iny clamping device holds the shuttle firmly to the driver at the moments when the reverse movements occur, so that the shuttle is prevented from rattling against the driver,

construction may be varied from those herein shown without departing from the essential features of my invention.

I am aware of the device shown by Patent No. 283,636, to- Miller and Diehl, which shows a device by which an oscillating shuttle may be operated without a race for the shuttle to run in, the shuttle being carried by four pivoted levers or arms, which are successively swung outward to let the loop of needlethread pass. The said arms did not, however, clamp the shuttle, but merely held it loosely, as would bedone by an ordinary shuttlerace, and the large number of holding-arms thus rendered necessary caused too much friction and noise to render the device practically successful. H v p I claim as my invention.-

1.- The combination,with a movable shuttledriver and a clamping-plate pivoted thereto, and thus moving bodily therewith, said plate having'two clampi'ng'arms adapted to engage the shuttle alternately, of a stationary cam engaging said clamping-plate, and adapted to swing the latter on its pivot to operate the said arms, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the movable shuttle-driver B, having the horns b and b, of the JAMES BOLTON.

\li tncsses:

HENRY GALVER, E. D. SMITH. 

